NEW YORK, New York -- A fairly emphatic Cavaliers All-Star Kyrie Irving denied an ESPN.com report that he privately has told people he wants out of Cleveland, though he stopped short of saying he'd a five-year extension if the team offered one this summer.

"There's been so much so-called reports, 'I don't want to be here,''' Irving said after the game. "That's what you guys get paid to do.

"There's so much negative attention on me. I know we're struggling but it's not about me. It's about our team. It's about us fighting every day for each other, me fighting for my teammates.

"Yes, I'm in Cleveland. I enjoy myself. I enjoy going out there and competing at the highest level for the Cleveland Cavaliers. That's what it's about. It's not about me and it's not about this controversy surrounding do I want to privately come out when my contract is up. I'm still in my rookie contract and I'm happy to be here and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be here for a long time. I'm not saying anything to foretell the future, but I'm pretty sure the relationship I have with Dan Gilbert and management extends off the court and I enjoy being here.''

Asked if he'd sign a five-year deal if offered this summer, Irving said, "It's still too early to say. I'm still trying to get through this season but everybody is trying to antagonize this team and put it on me. I'm here for my teammates. I'm here for coach [Mike] Brown and the coaching staff and I'm going to play my heart out every single night for the Cleveland Cavaliers.''

The latest version of this rumor surfaced during an online chat by ESPN.com Chad Ford on Thursday afternoon when Ford was asked whether Brown and Cavs general manager were on the hot seat.

Ford replied, "Virtually every GM in the league believes that Grant will be gone this summer if things don't get turned around this season. He doesn't have much time. The thinking is that there's no way [owner] Dan Gilbert is going to let him make another lottery pick if that's the direction the Cavs end up heading. Grant's goal (via his owner) is to get this team competitive and into the playoffs. The [Luol] Deng move was supposed to help. But so far ... nothing. Chemistry is a major issue there and some of that is on Mike Brown. But more of it is on the collection of players in Cleveland at the moment. Something has to happen quick. Kyrie Irving has been telling people privately he wants out. Cleveland can't afford to lose him and LeBron. They know the urgency. I expect them to be major players at the [trading] deadline.''

This is not the first time this rumor has surfaced. Last summer, @Brandon Tierney tweeted that Irving was not long for Cleveland. When Irving was asked about that during the USA Basketball mini-camp in Las Vegas, he said, "I’m a Cavalier right now, I’m happy to be a Cavalier.''

He had tweeted the same thing in response to Tierney.

"I kind of had a sarcastic approach to it from what he said because it was a rumor starter,'' Irving said last summer. "I don’t think he knows anybody in my camp, and I don’t know who the guy is. That type of stuff I don’t pay any attention to. Right now I’m a Cleveland Cavalier and I’m happy to be here.''

Asked if he had any intention of leaving, Irving said, "No, no intention.''

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reported at the beginning of the season that Irving, who grew up in New Jersey, wanted to return and play for the Knicks.

As recently as Tuesday, when asked if the Cavs players were tuning out Brown, Irving came to his coach's defense.

"I'm leaving my trust with coach Brown,'' he said. "I'm riding and dying with coach Brown. We're going through ups and downs together. We're all in this together, everybody in the locker room. We're all going through this together. I have my teammates backs and I know they have mine.''

The Cavs can offer Irving a maximum five-year contract extension this summer. Regardless of whether he accepts that, the Cavs control him for two seasons after this.

Banner-gate: A Cavs spokesman said there was no update on the missing Austin Carr No. 34 banner that disappeared from the rafters in The Q sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The Cavs don't know where is or who has it, but already have taken steps to replace it.

Varejao relieved: Although he missed his second straight game with a left knee contusion and hyperextension, the Cavs center said Thursday he thought he'd be back sooner rather than later.

Frankly, that surprised him. After Markieff Morris rolled into his left knee late in Sunday's 99-90 loss to Phoenix, he expected the worst.

"I didn’t see the replay, but from the reaction of the crowd (gasping) I knew it wasn’t pretty,'' Varejao said after Thursday morning's shootaround at Baruch College.

"Right away I thought the worst. I thought I was done. Again. It was very painful. It was one of those things it was very, very, very, very painful. Then it went away. My blood was rushing, I was going. I said I’m going to play. Then the next day was sore.''

He was diagnosed with a left knee contusion and hyperextension, which is good news for a guy who has had his last three seasons cut short by a series of bizarre injuries. He was worried this would be another one.

"Unbelievable,'' he said with a smile. "So stupid, right? Get the rebound and all of a sudden the guys comes and hits my knee. How can you control that?''

Waiters pleased: Cavs guard Dion Waiters was thrilled to be named to the sophomore team of the 2014 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Feb. 14 in New Orleans during NBA All-Star Weekend.

"I appreciate it,'' he said. "It's a blessing and honor. I'm happy to be a part of it because you can be easily forgotten in this league. At the end of the day, I'm thankful for that. Keep working, build off that, and hopefully get to that next step.''

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